The idea that consuming energy drinks can help you study better or even be an ally in sports regularly circulates on social media. SIC Verifies.
Is there a “perfect” energy drink to take to exams? One that improves brain function, helps with memory and learning? The allegation circulates on social media and tends to appear mainly during exam times, but does it have any basis?
A realizes that this type of drink “contains levels high levels of caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone, in addition to carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals”.All this carries risks.
“Recently, so-called ‘energy shot drinks’ have emerged, energy drinks with a higher concentration of caffeine and taurine, generally labeled as dietary supplements and/or for exercise/muscular effort or for athletes, which have subsequently increased the controversy surrounding these products (BfR, 2010)”, reads the website of the supervisory entity.
At a European level, the assessment regarding the caffeine present in these drinks was not of concern in non-pregnant adults, but rather in “children who generally do not consume tea or coffee” and in whom “the consumption of energy drinks may represent an increase in exposure to caffeine compared to previous consumptions” causing “temporary changes in behavior such as irritability, nervousness and anxiety”.
A on these drinks also indicates that the risks “are mainly related to their caffeine content”with one caffeine overdose “can cause palpitations, hypertension, diarrhea, central nervous system stimulation, nausea, vomiting, severe hypocalcemia, metabolic acidosis, convulsions and, in rare cases, even death”.
Speaking to SIC, Pedro Gonçalves, specialist in General and Family Medicine and Sports Medicine at the Sports Medicine and Performance Unit of the CUF Porto Institute, explains that the “the main effect of these energy drinks is acquired through caffeine”however, the consumption of “caffeine has a daily limit”.
This limit, points out the general practitioner, is 400 milligrams in an adult and 100 milligrams in a teenager. In other words, excessive consumption in an adult would be three to four cans daily and in a teenager one.
As for brain function, Pedro Gonçalves rejects that an energy drink can help, especially because a correct nutrition is more beneficial than the consumption of energy drinks that have other side effects.
Even in sports practice, the expert is clear:
“If we are to have a competition – as long as the energy drink does not contain substances prohibited by the anti-doping authority – and that [a bebida energética] can enhance [o desempenho] through the effect of caffeine, might make sense. Now, if we think about two, three, four cans, it doesn’t make any sense, whether to enhance the sporting part or for a regular person, without much sporting activity.”
Regarding cardiovascular effects, José Miguel Viegas, cardiologist at CUF Tejo Hospital, warns that energy drinks cause “a increased and increased risk of arrhythmiasabove all in at-risk populations” as “people with known heart defects, with known arrhythmias” who, as such, “can exacerbate or even induce serious arrhythmias”.
The expert goes further: “We know that these energy drinks are closely associated with glycemic spikes, with spikes in blood pressure and this can cause acute and chronic cardiovascular complications, including in young people”.
Regarding possible benefits for students, José Viegas highlights that “There are people who use it due to the perception of reducing fatigue, but, in fact, later it ends up having impacts with regard to sleep quality and ability to concentrate”.
If you have doubts about how much you should consume, the best option is “zero”, concludes the cardiologist.
SIC verifies that it is…
Energy drinks They don’t help you memorize better, learn better or even improve brain function. Even though it is admitted that they can help you wake up, due to the effect of caffeine, it is not, in itself, significant benefits that a correct diet no longer provides and without negative effects. Furthermore, excessive consumption of energy drinks can trigger various problems, including anxiety, arrhythmias, panic attacks and others.
